Author Note: Hi all! I just finished publishing Vol. 2 in my original series this Friday. I finally had the time and mental energy to write the next installment. Enjoy!

Chapter 78:

Love

"You're adorable. I love you."

Seto's fingers froze in mid-air above his phone screen. Eh? He quickly turned to look at Ana, but she had turned her back to him and had her head down. What? Wait, what? His chest felt as if it was tightening while his heartbeat wildly. What? It was his phone buzzing in his hands that brought his attention back to the hacking. He stared at the screen blankly while his hands grew cold from nervousness. He couldn't focus. Quickly, he shot Mokuba a text.

Seto: Take over for twenty minutes.

Mokuba: Roger.

Seto set his phone down on the metal table and straightened up staring outside. Reflected in the glass he could see Ana's head still down, but her face was bright red. She looked terrified. Ah. He finally understood that he was probably feeling something similar. He could just ignore what she'd said and change the subject, but who was he kidding? There was no way in this world or the shadow world that he was going to let her say that and not acknowledge it.

He took a deep breath, keeping it as quiet as he could, before turning to Ana who still had her back turned to him.

Afraid his voice would break on him, he decided to lean down and whisper in her ear, "Say that again."

"Um…" Ana didn't look up at him for a moment, then turned to him with a strained grin on her face. "You're adorable."

He openly scowled at her, and she flinched. "We'll address that statement later. I meant the second part."

Ana frowned and turned away from him while sipping on her hot chocolate. She let the silence linger long enough that he could feel his nerves stretching thin. She finally mumbled, "I don't want to."

His mouth pulled tight at her refusal. Is she mad? He had wanted her to say it again because for the first time in his life he wasn't sure he trusted his own ears. Did she actually say that she…loves me?

Seto backed up giving her space and closed his eyes. His heart was still beating wildly, and his brain felt fuzzy. In no way shape of form could he have guessed she would just suddenly without warning declare that she loved him. He was kind of irritated that it had taken him months to even realize that's how he felt, and she'd just said it so casually.

The silence carried on until Ana spoke, "I'm sorry."

Seto's eyes flew open, and he looked at her surprised. "What?"

"I didn't mean to make things awkward just forget I said anything…" Ana stared down into her cup a deep-set frown on her face.

He paused, his mouth opened a moment, but then he snapped, "No! I don't want to."

Ana turned to him and glared. "What does that mean?"

"What in the world do you mean what does that mean? Why would I forget the first time my girlfriend tells me that she loves me?"

Ana's eyes narrowed. "Because you were acting like you wish I hadn't said it."

"Huh?" Seto felt the irritation bubble to the surface, and he almost said something that would have ended their date right then and there. Instead, he physically bit his tongue to stop himself and took a deep breath. When he felt like he wouldn't say something royal Amin-chan-ish, he spoke, "Your declaration was so sudden I wasn't quite sure I had heard you right and I'm confused why you suddenly feel that way. I was just surprised."

Ana blinked a few times before saying, "Oh."

"So, tell me. What was the second thing you said because it sounded like you said you love me." Seto pushed but he didn't like the nervous and unsure look on Ana's face. In fact, she turned away from him again. "Ana?"

He glanced at the window's reflection again to see her reaction and was shocked to see a mixture of sadness and was he could only assume was fear. Seto frowned as he went over the conversation in his head. Perhaps therapy and those books had done some good because he finally realized that he hadn't responded to her feelings. His face grew warm as the realization set in that Ana loved him just like he loved her. Oh.

The pounding in his chest was growing to the point he thought he might need to see a medic. He leaned down near Ana's face and gently brushed her hair back from her ear. He felt like he was going to throw up. Dueling in front of a hundred thousand people was way easier than this.

He whispered in her ear, "Ana, I love you, too."

She looked up at him wide-eyed, her entire face was beet red. Much to his surprise she set her cup on the table and covered not her face but his with her hands.

"Ana, what are you doing?"

He reached up to remove her hands, but she stopped him by asking, "You called me random. How is your response not random?"

"Mine was not random. I've known I've love you since the fall festival. I just didn't want to tell you without being sure you felt the same." He removed her hands but kept hold of them. She'd dropped her head so that her hair was covering her hair.

Her voice came out strained. "You're an Amin-chan."

He sighed. "What did I do now?"

"You're acting way to chill about it." She grumbled.

"Chill?" Seto laughed at her statement, then put her hand on his chest where his heart was playing the bongos. "Does this seem chill to you?"

Her eyes widened. She pulled her hands out of his, turned around, and pulled her feet up onto the bench, then buried her face in her knees. Seto blinked a few times as he studied his girlfriend in the fetal position.

"Ana? Are you embarrassed right now?" He felt this strange entertaining prickling sensation in his stomach. She didn't say anything, instead he heard her grumble. A grin spread across his face at her reaction. He leaned over and blew air onto her neck startling her.

She looked up at him and glared. "Stop that."

He gave her a teasing grin. "I don't want to."

Before she could respond, he lightly kissed the top of her head. Her hands flew up to her hand and she looked at him startled. Quickly, he stood up, scooped her up, then plopped back down with her in his lap his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Wha-what are you doing?" Ana had grabbed onto his neck to stabilize herself from the sudden lifting.

"Sweeping you off your feet?" He regretted it the moment it came out of his mouth and cringed. Ana looked at him blankly, then laughed at his super cheesy line.

She laughed so hard that she cried. It took her a moment to compose herself. "Are-are you trying to be cheesy and adorable?"

"I am not adorable." Seto growled.

"Oh, then what are you?"

"Handsome."

Ana let out a sigh while smiling as if she had expected his answer, "Indeed you are physically handsome all the time, but when your sweet or cheesy your adorable."

Seto rolled his eyes. "Noted. I won't be either of those things going forward."

Ana tilted her head and put a finger on her cheek while she still had one arm hooked around his neck. "Oh? That's too bad. When you're sweet to me I find it sexy."

Seto didn't know how to respond to so such a statement until Ana started laughing. "You're teasing me."

"You started it."

He very much felt like finishing it too. Leaning down, he lightly bit her ear which succeeded in startling her. Ana blushed deeply as she covered her ear with her hand. He smirked at her reaction and used the arm that was hooked around her waist to pull her closer before kissing her. For a moment all he could hear was the cracking of the fire and their breath. When he pulled back, he noticed the glistening in her eyes and immediately when back for another kiss. Then another. Then another. He finally realized that they were very much alone in a hut where no one could interrupt them. There was no protective older brother this time to stop them.

When he came back for another kiss this time, he didn't go for her lips but pulled back the collar of his coat that she was still wearing and kissed her neck. He felt the desire to bite her, but considering last time he wasn't sure he should.

"U-um, if your about to try a hickey again please don't do it as hard."

Seto pulled back and looked at her a little stunned. "You're ok if I try again?"

Ana blushed. "Well, most things aren't perfect the first time."

He didn't wait for her to change her mind and went to gently suck on her neck. She tensed as he did so but didn't voice any distress this time. If anything, her breathing grew heavy against his ear which made him feel very uncomfortable and good at the same time. When he released her, a red mark was already forming that made him smirk. He gently kissed the spot below and slowly made his way down her neck to the top of her shoulder.

"S-Seto."

Saying his name breathlessly in his ear only served to fuel his desire. He was about to start running his hand up her leg when his phone blared loudly. Ana pulled away from him looking embarrassed and guilty. If looks could kill his phone would have exploded into pieces right, then and there.

"I think you should get that." She quickly pulled herself out of her lap and looked down at the seat bashfully.

Seto let out a long sigh. He got the feeling that was the end of their make out session for the night.